Primer
A preparatory coat applied to a substrate to seal it, improve adhesion and provide a compatible surface for the system that follows.
On an actual building
It is the interface between the structure and the barrier. Most delamination failures we open up trace to a primer that was skipped, applied at the wrong coverage rate, or overcoated before it had tacked off.
What we most often have to correct
That it is an optional cost item. On polyurea in particular, the primer is what holds the entire system to the concrete.
Terms that come up alongside this one
- Bond Coat
A slurry, usually waterproofed cement, brushed hard into a prepared substrate so that the layer above bonds to it monolithically rather than sitting on it..
- Laitance
The weak, fine layer of cement and fines that rises to the surface of concrete as it cures and bleed water evaporates.
- Adhesion Pull-Off Test
A test in which a dolly is bonded to the coating and pulled off under measured force, recording both the load and where the failure occurred..
Primer — questions we get asked
What does primer mean in waterproofing?
A preparatory coat applied to a substrate to seal it, improve adhesion and provide a compatible surface for the system that follows.
Why does primer matter on a real project?
It is the interface between the structure and the barrier. Most delamination failures we open up trace to a primer that was skipped, applied at the wrong coverage rate, or overcoated before it had tacked off.
What do people commonly get wrong about primer?
That it is an optional cost item. On polyurea in particular, the primer is what holds the entire system to the concrete.
Have a building showing this?
If a term on this page describes something you are looking at, a site inspection will tell you how far it has gone and what it needs. It costs nothing.
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